


After the fight

by Munnin, yakalskovich



Series: Necessary Pebbles verse [12]
Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Genre: Cooking, Domestic Fluff, M/M, Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-15
Updated: 2017-05-15
Packaged: 2018-11-01 01:40:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,094
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10911711
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Munnin/pseuds/Munnin, https://archiveofourown.org/users/yakalskovich/pseuds/yakalskovich
Summary: Things on Eadu get tense and tempers flare when another cargo pilot calls Bodhi out.





	After the fight

Galen got a message late one evening. The evening Bodhi had been planning to spent down in the barracks with the other cargo crews. 

The message was from the head medic. **You better get down here.**

It was the kind of message that would get anybody running, so it was at quite a hurry that Galen swept into the med bay. "What happened?"

Bodhi was one side of the room with an icepack on a black eye. Another hauler crewman on the other side of the room had a bacta patch on his ribs and a big one side of his face swollen, and the medic stood between them, glaring. "Take that one back. I want him out of here for now."

A brawl? With Bodhi? Damaging that big crewman? Galen probably looked as flabbergasted as he felt. "Yes, right away," he said, looking perplexedly between Bodhi and the medic.

Bodhi pulled himself off the bed and nodded to the medic before following Galen out of the med bay. Galen made sure they they were completely out of sight and earshot before he pulled Bodhi into his arms. "What happened?" he asked yet again.

"Long story." Bodhi muttered darkly. "They've been stuck here too long. The crews are getting restless."

"So he attacked and you won?" Galen asked. This is definitely new to him. He never had to bail Lyra out of anywhere after an actual brawl, not even that time the creepy merchant had stalked her on Coruscant.

Bodhi's teeth almost ground together. "He got offensive." And yes, Bodhi's knuckles were split and red. "To you?" Galen asked. It seemed a stupid idea to him. Why offend harmless Bodhi? Well, perhaps not entirely harmless. "What was his problem?" He looked into Bodhi's eyes, worried.

Bodhi didn’t answer till they were back Galen’s rooms. "He implied -- he straight out said I'd saved your life in exchange for sexual favours." Bodhi's voice was a dark growl, not at all his usual light, husky patter.

Galen set to brewing caf as Bodhi spat that out. At the explanation, he turned around and stared. "They think -- they know we??" It didn’t make any sense. "They just inferred -- stars, did he even look at me or you?" It didn’t make any sense to Galen that lovely Bodhi would get accused of having to twist anybody's arm to get them into bed. "Was he jealous?"

"They don't know." Bodhi asserted, starting to pace. "He was a friend of the crewman we were helping when the tanks ruptured. He blames me for his friend's death. He was looking to provoke me."

"So he probably accused you of the next bizarrely offensive thing he could think of, never thinking that we really -- that no favour currying or arm twisting was needed at all, because we've actually been lovers all along." Galen shook his head. "He probably deserved it."

Bodhi huffed a bitter laugh, still wound up tight and pacing. "Between spacers, implying someone is _whoring_ themselves to a superior officer for favours is about the worst thing you can say. And saying it to their face is the same as throwing the first punch."

Galen looked very dismayed and went to pull the bristling pilot into his arms. Bodhi almost flinched away but stopped himself in time. He was so wound up right now, and still not used to anybody touching him as a matter of course. He let Galen hug him, though, resting his arms loosely around Galen's waist. 

"They don't know anything. Just that I'm getting special treatment because I saved your life. It doesn't matter that it's true we're sleeping together. The point is I couldn't let that insult stand." All of it said through clenched teeth.

"No, you couldn't," Galen agreed, his arms resting lightly around Bodhi. "And I couldn't possibly use -- abuse -- my authority to refute the insult. That would make the slur into a rumour. So your fists it was, and it seems to have worked."

Pause.

"You need something to let off steam? Make yeast dough? Start an argument on the holonet?" Two things Lyra had sometimes done. She had a temper, and could go ballistic at times. Something Krennic had banked on when…

"You need to stay well clear of it. The medic saw it. She'll have to report us both for brawling but-" But Bodhi’s record was pretty clean so he could wear one reprimand easily enough. "You'll get the report soon enough, as chief." Bodhi shook his head. "I need to hit the fresher. I'll be okay. I just need to cool off."

"All yours," Galen said. "I'll make caf."

As bizarrely different as Lyra and Bodhi seem to be, Galen did seem to have a type -- competent, with a temper, infinitely more practical than he himself. With Bodhi, he felt whole again. As whole as he could be.

Bodhi nodded and started to strip off. There was a red mark on his stomach but it didn’t look like the punch landed with any force, just the blackening eye to show for the brawl. "At least here I don't have to worry about wasting water."

"No, water is the one thing free and plentiful on Eadu," Galen said. He reached out to touch Bodhi's bare shoulder which shuddered slightly under his hand. So much pent up energy looking for a release. Boshi didn’t move to touch Galen back, mostly because he didn’t trust himself. "Bodhi?"

Bodhi took a slow breath and took Galen's hands in his. "I'm sorry, I'm still..." He kissed Galen's knuckles and took a step back. "After." He promises.

"Yes," Galen said. "After." He smiled, and let go.

Bodhi took his time in the shower, coming out well scrubbed and slightly chilled. He clearly didn't allow himself the luxury of heat but at least looked somewhat calmer. He offered Galen a small smile. "I'm sorry. I'm not use to being around people when I get like that." 

"It happens," Galen said. "I don't mind. Lyra had a temper, and much firmer principles than I. So yes, I can give you your space when you need it, no apologies necessary."

Bodhi took Galen's hands again and kissed his knuckles. Then hugged him, burying his face in Galen's neck. Galen put his arms around him and just held Bodhi for a moment.

"I shouldn't have lost control like that. I'm sorry."

"You needed to hit him," Galen said. "Logical continuation of the argument."

"Yes, but I shouldn't have done it in front of the base medic. Now it will have to be official. And Randle will have to think you collected me from the Medbay to reprimand me."

"I didn't?" Galen said, smiling wryly. "And yes, you could have taken it outside to clear up the differences."

This is the only criticism he could bring himself to agree with, rather than cheering Bodhi on after the fact.

Galen's utter failure to take the reprimand seriously made Bodhi smile a little. "And have that fight in the rain? I'm not sure that would have ended any better."

"He'd have given up soon enough," Galen shrugged. "Because the rain is wet and cold."

Bodhi just shook his head. He didn’t want to tell Galen he didn't give Randle the chance. Once the first punch was thrown, the fight hadn’t lasted long. Galen leaned in to kiss Bodhi's cheek, then turned to pour caf for them both.

Bodhi smiled at the kiss and headed to the kitchen to see what he would be able to throw together into a meal. Galen followed, caf in hand. "Tell me what I can do," he said.

Bodhi stole a kiss to Galen's cheek, then grabbed the mug of caf, which he needed greatly. "I hope I didn't get you called away from anything important?"

"No," Galen said. "I was watching a game on the holonet, trying to find out what the rules were."

"The life of a busy scientist." Bodhi teased, clearly feeling better. "What game was it?"

"I have no idea," Galen said. "People were playing it. With a ball."

Bodhi almost laughed. "With their hands or feet?"

"Mostly their feet," Galen said. "They were kicking it, and running very vigorously."

"Could be a few different things." Bodhi started throwing together a salad. "Spacers tend to play hoop-ball. Something you can play over crates."

"I tried to understand it, but failed," Galen admitted. "And then, the message came."

"Nice to know breaking two of Randle's ribs was good for something." Bodhi joked, blending oil and spices for a dressing.

"Yes, it freed me from watching that," Galen said. "And now, it will get me food, and your company." He grinned.

Bodhi shook his head and stole a kiss. "Any idea what you want in the way of food? Or am I making this up as I go?"

"I will enjoy whatever you make," Galen said, "so do go ahead and improvise."

"You're too easy to impress." Bodhi shook his head and started tinkering. Crispy fried noodles with fine shavings of meat to go with the salad. "Shall we put on a holo or something?"

"Some music, maybe," Galen said. "Not a game, in any case."

"Music is good. I tend to get stuck on the same things. Always good to hear new things."

"I'm afraid my taste is rather basic," Galen said. He turned on the holonet, and some multi-species cantina band popped up and starts playing something cheerfully jaded and unexpectedly sophisticated.

Bodhi listened as he cooked, surprised by the sophisticated music. "This is one of Lyra's?"

"No, not really," Galen said. "She was interested in traditional music from the places we went to. This is just entertainment."

"Wanting to understand the cultures she saw?" he asked, offering Galen a marinated slice of meat to try. Galen took the meat from Bodhi's fingers with nimble lips, like a very tame predator, ate, smiled, and licked his lips. "Excellent! And I think she liked to appreciate them, not just understand."

"Did you find you appreciated them more with her?" Bodhi asked, trying to cover the little gasp as Galen nibbles the morsel from his fingers.

"Yes, I found that listening without prejudice would open that world better," Galen said, licking his lips again as if to taste the last trace of those spices."

"To hear with the heart, not the mind." Bodhi gestured to the tapestry on Galen's wall, the one illustrating the teachings of the kyber temple.

Galen nodded. "She brought all that to life. It all made sense, when she was doing it."

"I'm glad. They were empty words to me growing up. Just the same rhetoric I heard from my mother and her friends. Sometimes I remember them, usually when they start to make sense to me."

"Do they now?" Galen asked.

"Some. Like that one." Bodhi reached for Galen, pulling him close. "Others, about love and connection. And being part of something."

Galen held him. "Which don't?"

"There was a lot of garbage coming from the street preachers and gutter prophets in the slums of Jedha. A lot of their ideas around children bothered me, mostly ‘cause it meant so many died. The will of the Force doesn't excuse neglect." And that was very much his grandmother talking.

"What ideas about children?" Galen asked.

"That they should be raised by the entire community and share in the wisdom of all. Which sounds good but what it means in practice is no-one takes responsibility for them. I lost three siblings to malnutrition and preventable diseases before my grandmother found us."

"Good thing Lyra didn't share those ideas," Galen said. "We looked after our Jyn as long as we could. Until Krennic came."

Bodhi pulled Galen closer and kissed him. It was a gentle, loving kiss. "And I'm sure she grew up stronger for it."

"She did," Galen said. "While we had her. She was independent and responsible, exactly because she knew we'd be there if she stumbled."

"We'll find her, together." Bodhi promised, kissing Galen deeper this time, as if sealing the promise with that kiss. Galen kissed him back, gratefully leaning against the slight pilot.

Bodhi smiled and stroked Galen's back. "Food now, hugging afterwards." He stepped back to dish up.

The song that came on next is one Bodhi knew and he sung along. His voice was by no means remarkable but he could keep up with the fast lyrics with ease, seeming to enjoy the swiftly tripping pronunciations. Galen watched him, looking unexpectedly cheerful and tapping his foot.

Bodhi brought the plates over, breaking off as he realised Galen was watching him. "Sorry, I kind of like this song. I'm not normally a fan of Twi'lek poetry, but set to a fast beat, it works."

"How can you ever move your tongue that fast?" Galen said; and then he blushed under his beard. He was not really used to his own double entendres.

Bodhi found himself caught between embarrassment and enjoyment at Galen's blush. And opted to tease his lover. "Practice. And motivation."

"Is there a prize for being fastest?" Galen said, smiling despite his blush, and the thoughts about all the things Bodhi's tongue had already done to him. Very prize-worthy things…

"Just the pleasure of knowing you can do it." He grinned, "And the effect it has on others."

"Well, that effect is tried and proven, I certainly can vouch for it," Galen said, smiling and blushing more.

Bodhi pulled him close, close enough whisper in his ear. "I'm sure I have a few tricks I haven't tested on you yet."

"But you will?" Galen said, with a little hopeful smile in addition to his blush. He kissed the top of Bodhi's nose, because it's pretty and he can.

"Oh yes! I intend to do everything I can with you." But Bodhi’s warm growl devolved into a laugh as Galen kissed his nose. Only Galen could go from dirty talk to adorable nose kissed so fast.

For Galen, it's all equally part of loving Bodhi. "We should eat, and then see what else our mouths can do," he suggested. Bodhi gave a frustrated little laugh and sat down, helpful himself to another mug of caf: -- who needed sleep?

Galen took a sip of his own, then started eating. "Excellent food!" he declared.

"You're an easy man to feed. I'm going to have to start teaching you to cook for yourself before I have to go back into space. There's no telling if it'll be days or weeks before I'm back. I'd hate for you to starve while I'm away."

"I can eat in the mess hall," Galen said, "but I'd love to learn a few things for when I miss you. Which I will."

"Let me teach you a few basic dishes at least. Things you can throw together after work that won't take much to make. I can make up a few pots of spices too. Things you can add to even the mess food to make it a bit more palatable." Which was very much his way of saying he'd miss Galen too.

"That's a good idea," Galen said. "Some people might mock me for bringing spices to the mess hall, but at least they'll think they know what I like about you, with no fisticuffs needed."

"They'll understand the spices, if they get a taste. And yes, they'll think you kept me around for my cooking." And he was okay with that. Better than them thinking Galen was keeping him as a toy boy.

"Scientists gossip as much as pilots ever can," Galen said. "Especially the old men here, with nothing else to do and not that much of their own lives."

"And a degree of jealousy, I'd imagine. It's okay for high up imperials to bed pilots for fun. It's just not okay for pilots to get on their knees for high ups." Bodhi shrugged. "It's just the way it is."

"Missing the mark narrowly," Galen mused, "is much more offensive than missing it widely. I don't bed you for fun, I love you and will stay with you, so it's better they think I like you for the food."

"I know that. And I love you too. I hope you know that?" He reached out to take Galen's hand. "It isn't about us. It's about perceptions."

"I know that," Galen said, with absolute certainty, closing his fingers around Bodhi's.

Bodhi nodded, glad that Galen understood. He took Galen's hands and kissed his knuckles. "I'm sorry. I know being with me won't be easy."

"Being with you is the best thing for decades," Galen said. "I'm not asking for easy."

"As long as this," Bodhi pressed Galen's hand to his cheek, "isn't putting you in any danger."

"It won't," Galen said. "Not unless Orson Krennic suspects this is more than a fling, and I doubt he can fathom that."

"Then we're careful when he's around. I go back to just being another pilot."

"Luckily, it's not that often, and never very long," Galen said.

"He doesn't like to hang around? I suppose he's got a lot to do."

"He's very busy being important," Galen said. "And we're not the right people to be important at."

"He doesn't look as dashing in the rain?" Bodhi asked, somewhat sarcastically.

"Oh yes, his beloved white cape," Galen said, chuckling. "Lyra and I had to work so hard not to laugh when he first turned up in that. We felt it would be unkind. Later, it was a tyrant's attire nobody dares to laugh at if they treasure their life."

"A tyrant in white." Bodhi shook his head. "How poetic. Goes well with the monster in black."

"Yes, that it does," Galen said. "But Krennic has many higher-ups and lateral equals to contend with. He's not nearly as unassailable as Vader."

"But it's all about the look. The cape. Inspiring something... more than your average Imperial."

"And he is using me to be more than average," Galen said. "I can build the thing that will make him special."

"Because he isn't special himself." Bodhi reached out to cup Galen's cheek. This was what Lyra died for - Krennic's ego. He could only imagine how much that hurt.

"Not really," Galen said. "Hence the cape."

"And instead he hides the brilliant ones here. The ones he uses to climb higher."

"Yes, that is the point of this installation," Galen said. "We do the actual thinking, Krennic gets the credit."

Pause.

"Not that I want any credit. Or think about this at all."

Bodhi got up and reached for Galen. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought it up."

"About the subject of my work," Galen said, reaching out to Bodhi in turn. "I want to think about how to use my work for good, to supply planets with energy to rebuild after the wars, not..."

Pause.

Silence.

Bodhi heard the unspoken words. "Let's go climbing again. As soon as there's a gap in the weather." Where they could talk. Where they could plan.

"Oh yes, the is a route I'd like to show you," Galen said, picking up on that promise.

"I'd like that. We don't have long left before I'm back out on sky. I wouldn't mind doing as many more climbs as I can before I have to leave."

"And being outdoors more will be good for your recovery, whatever is still needed for it," Galen agreed.

"And the exercise will help me regain some of the strength I've lost in my convalescence." Bodhi managed to say it with a teasing smile.

"So it's a situation where we win on all counts," Galen said, adopting a mock-meeting room tone of grave importance. His jokes hadn't improved yet.

But Bodhi still laughed, amused by Galen's tone. "I can think of a few of those."

Galen smiled at Bodhi, both amused and full of love.

"Incorrigible." Bodhi got up and cleared his plate, leaving Galen to finish. "I'm making dessert."

"You are?" Galen said, hurrying up with his regular food. "What did I do to deserve this?"

"I'm not sure what you do." Bodhi grinned. "But I punched out an idiot. I deserve dessert but I'm willing to share."

"You should punch idiots more, then," Galen grinned. "Or perform other feats of surprise bravery." He pretended to hesitate. "Oh, and as you already saved my life, you actually deserve all the dessert anyway. I'm sorry I can't make anything more interesting than mixing up fruit with dairy."

"You would be amazed what I can do with fruit and dairy." Bodhi grinned, stealing a kiss and vanishing into the kitchen. He started singing again. Because he could. Galen smiled to himself, listening. He realised. suddenly and brightly, that he was actually happy right now, as was Bodhi and it showed on his song, spinning words swift and eloquently. And his own words this time too. Galen's name came up... once or twice. Galen got up, bringing his empty plate over, and staying to listen and watch, leaning against a cabinet. Bodhi hesitated a moment as he blended cream in a bowl with some sweetener and spice. He was a little self-conscious about singing his love, in front of his love. But there was Galen. Smiling. That was all he needed.

It was an interesting kind of fast music, and Galen wondered where this kind of singing hailed from; but he found he'd rather smile and listen and tap his feet than disturb for explanations. Bodhi kept spitting rhymes, fast and playful as he chopped some pale fleshed fruit into fingers. Most of the words were in something other than basic but here and there, there were more recognisable words. Love, Galen, rain, fire. Joy.

Galen tried to steal a piece of fruit, and he got a slap on the knuckles for it. And a dangerous grin from Bodhi. "Don't make me throw you out of the kitchen." He added, without dropping a beat.

"Pretty please?" Galen said, smiling widely and winsomely.

"I'm not done yet. Trust me. You'll like this." He crumbed the strips of fruit and flash fried them, making the insides as soft and gooey as the outsides were crisp. He piled them on a plate around a bowl of the sweetened cream. A dish any core world restaurant would be proud of. Galen watched, enjoying the scents rising from the pans and bowl, as well as Bodhi's song. Bodhi ended the song with the words because _I love you_ and kissed Galen in passing, leading him, and the plate, back out into the main room. "Now, you can try it." Galen followeds eagerly. "What is the fruit?"

"Just a white apple. Nothing too exotic. That's what I like about this recipe, it works with almost anything." He helped himself to one, and so did Galen. "Piece of fruit and dollop of dip, right?"

Bodhi scooped up a dollop of sweet cream mix with one of the apple chips and offered it to Galen, who ate it directly as offered: there was something especially sensual about Bodhi literally feeding him, he found

Bodhi was more than happy to feed him, wiping a spot of cream off the corner of Galen's lips with the pad of his thumb.

Galen was delighted, both by the taste and the touch. "I like this," he said softly, looking into Bodhi's eyes.

"I thought you might." Bodhi purred, leaning it to kiss Galen, without the preamble of cream. Galen licked Bodhi's lips while kissing, tasting fruit and cream anyway.

"You tempt me to find other ways to eat my dessert." Bodhi purred, dipping a finger in the cream and smearing a dot on Galen's neck, just above his collar. He dipped his head to lick it off.

Galen closed his eyes and smiled, bordering on the beatific. Bodhi's reaction was far less blissful and far more hungry. He slid a hand under Galen's tunic, pushing it off Galen's shoulder to give himself more throat to kiss.

"You deserve this kind of dessert, too" Galen purred, leaning back his head. "My hungry pilot!"

Bodhi pulled Galen's tunic off his shoulders and moved Galen towards a chair, straddling him as Galen after taking a few steps backwards, heavily, and pulled Bodhi close, enthusiastically inviting him into his lap.

Bodhi fed him another bite of cream laden fruit, leaning in to casually molest Galen's neck while Galen licked his lips, and Bodhi's fingers,and gave a little moan of delight.

Bodhi teased his fingers over Galen's lips, moaning softly into Galen's throat as he reached for the bowl of cream. Galen suckled on the tip of Bodhi's finger, half-closing his eyes. Bodhi smeared a line of cream on Galen's neck and licked it off, working his way up to nibble on Galen's earlobe, moaning his name softly. Galen sighed, and angled his neck to give Bodhi more access to kiss his way lower, following the line of Galen's collarbone and the hollow of his clavicle. He moaned, looking into Bodhi's eyes with both love and igniting desire.

Stars, Bodhi could lose himself in those eyes. In the heat of them. He kissed Galen fiercely, his desire spilling over. "I want you!" It wasn’t the same heat that drove him to punch a man but it's no less powerful.

"Then have me!" Galen gasped, challenge and submission both.

Bodhi stood in one swift movement, pulling Galen up with him and pushing him towards the bed. He got Galen out of the rest of his clothes in a rush, the button of Galen's fly pining off a wall. Not a moment lost, Bodhi's mouth was on Galen, enveloping him, devouring him. He might be lean and slight but Bodhi lacked nothing in decisive action. 

Galen kept moaning Bodhi's name, over and over, as desires filled and devoured him. His legs, spread wide, demandingly close around Bodhi's shoulders, urging him on. "Your mouth is -- ahhh!" He would sing poetic praises, but was reduced to wordless gasps of pleasure. Bodhi fumbled one-handed for the lube, spilling it over his fingers in a hurry. Fingers that teased for only a moment before they entered Galen, preparing him in short, swift strokes.

"Yes, Bodhi, yes..." Galen babbled these two words, over and over as he spread his legs wide, greedily. It was all Bodhi could do to be sure Galen's ready before surging up, pulling Galen's legs onto his shoulders as he sunk into the heat of him. Nothing could hold back the joyful cry as he buried himself deep in the man he fought for, would fight for.

"Bodhi!" Galen pulled him close, feet pressing demandingly on Bodhi’s back as he opened himself utterly.

"Galen. My Galen." Bodhi groaned, thrusting hard and deep. This couldn’t last long, but it would be intense for them both. He angled his hips, aiming his thrusts to make Galen moan; and he not only moaned, he shouted with pleasure as Bodhi hit the right spot, again and again and again…

Bodhi looked into Galen's eyes with every thrust. Watching his lover come apart, feeling his own need to have, to claim. _Damn the Empire, damn the Force. Galen was his. And he was Galen's._ Galen's eyes seemed to glow with the wildness and elation of that fierce sensation.

"My Galen." Bodhi growled, his thrust growing short and rough. He reached between them to stroke Galen, "Mine."

"Yours!" Galen tilted his hips up towards Bodhi. "All yours! Yes!"

Bodhi shuddered, moaning Galen's name as he came. He clung to Galen, holding him tight. "Stars, Galen!" Galen arched his back, heat splattering between them as he followed suit.

Bodhi lowered Galen's legs and leaned in to kiss him, breathless and thrilled. Stars, Galen couldn't look more perfect than he did in that moment. Galen pulled Bodhi in for the kiss, eyes wide and unfocused, utterly spent. "I love you so much," he murmured.

Bodhi smiled and looked Galen's blown and beautiful eyes, stroking his cheek. "My Galen." He gently pulled out and lay down at Galen's side, holding him close. Just... holding him. Relishing that moment.

"One day, we will always have this whenever we want," Galen said. "You and me. Free." 

The thought makes Bodhi smile, stroking Galen's cheek. "Yes. In a place of our own. Somewhere far away."

"Doing our own work, and closing our doors when we want to," Galen agreed.

"You could work on the clean energy research you talked about." Bodhi smiled, "And I can run a little cafe or something."

"Feeding the people who work with me, to begin with," Galen said, sleepily. "Thinking is hungry work."

"You want me to run a canteen for your scientists?" He asked, a teasing eyebrow raised.

"More like a café nearby," Galen said. "So I can go see you when I take a break. So I will take breaks. Which doesn't always happen with scientists in full discovery mode."

"So maybe I'll have to bring orders to you, to your team. Just to make sure you eat." Bodhi rested his head on Galen's shoulder. "I like that sound of that."

"I am sure that would help," Galen said, stroking Bodhi's hair. "You might have to try out ovens running on kyber, though. Or other weird inventions."

"A café full of strange creations and little proofs of concept." Bodhi chuckled. "Yes, I'd like that."

Galen turned his head to kiss Bodhi's cheekbone, right beside his eye. "It won't be just us, of course," Galen said. "Wherever we end up, wherever I may do my work, it won't be as forsaken and lonely as here. If we are lucky, we even get real weather. You know, the kind that changes."

"Somewhere beautiful. Somewhere with sun and rain." Bodhi snuggled close, tangling his fingers in Galen's. "We'll find somewhere. Together."

"There are so many planets out there," Galen agreed. "Places with actual seasons, and varied landscape, and different cultures meeting."

"Then we'll find the right one." Bodhi nodded. Even if they had to move around a bit before they found somewhere safe. He leaned in to kiss Galen deeply and warmly.

"We will," Galen said. "It's a big galaxy, so of course there will be a niche for us somewhere. And we can keep looking. You're a pilot."

Bodhi nuzzled close and kissed Galen's throat. "We'll find our niche. And if not, we'll make it."

Galen leaned back his head and sighed happily. "Find a place, make a niche."

"And live free." Bodhi finished, closing his eyes contentedly.


End file.
